Welcome to billion-dollar shave club

Victor Kiam, the man who in 1979 liked his new Remington shaver so much he bought the companyKeith Beaty/Toronto Star/Getty Images

Unilever is taking on the cut-throat world of razor and shaving products after acquiring a US start-up for a reported $1 billion.

Michael Dubin, founder of Dollar Shave Club, has achieved cult status for his YouTube advert espousing the virtues of his mail-order business and “our“f***ing great blades”.

Once the takeover goes through, Unilever will be propelled into the top five largest producers of men’s shaving products in the US. The deal will enable the Anglo-Dutch consumer group to compete better with rivals such as Procter & Gamble, which makes the market-leading Gillette razors.

Unilever said that Dollar Shave Club, which is based in California, had “transformed the shaving category” with its affordably priced products and slick online operations and marketing.